Inspiration: Intelligentsia Venice's Vertical Garden

The long awaited Intelligentsia in Venice opened last week so we stopped by to take a look for ourselves. The west side location is very different from the look of the Silver Lake shop starting with an entry courtyard for hanging out that's decked out with a vertical garden that will only get more grand with time.

The whole space was designed by Ana Henton of MASS Architecture and Design, a local LA architect who was a protégée of Frank Gehry's for 5 years. The space is a mix of glass and steel and includes stadium style seating in the atrium with a mass of plants growing down from the top of the walls and growing onto a metal industrial inspired trellis. We love the dark grey walls and the wood used in the seating (anyone know what it is?). The atrium is a small space and overall pretty narrow but the use of a whole wall for plants is bound to make the space feel larger without taking up space on the ground. A great plan for small balconies or decks that don't have a lot of room for pots of plants or planting beds.

Have you check out Intelligentsia? Or do you have a favorite local store or restaurant with a great small garden?